CIRED 17th International Conference on Electricity Distribution Barcelona, 12-15 May 2003 HOW TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE AND STREAMLINE PROCESSES USING GIS Eduard VIERLINGER Energie AG Oberösterreich - Austria [email protected] INTRODUCTION Decentralized assets and locations, networked technology and infrastructure, suppliers, customers and services - in a utility practically all strategic data have a direct spatial component. Corporation- wide exploitation of these data using intelligent spatial information technology will result in better information and service quality, thus optimising business and decision processes. This vision was at the beginning of the network information system (NIS) project at Energie AG. THE NIS PROJECT AT ENERGIE AG Energie AG is the leading electricity distributor in the Austrian province of Upper Austria. Energie AG supplies 412.000 customers and yearly provides 6.500 GWh at a peak consumption of 1.200 MW. 50% of the low voltage and 82% of the medium voltage network consist of overhead lines. The large share of overhead lines reflects the structure of our supply area, which is mainly rural with small settlements. The NIS-project started three years ago as one of the biggest corporations wide IT-projects in EnergieAG’s history. To ensure the success and internal acceptance of the project the strategy especially stresses • Lean solutions focusing on the business processes which will gain most by NIS-support • Fast implementation of basic functionality while keeping in mind the potential for continuous enhancement and improvement. • A lean project team that has the support of the management and is empowered to introduce needed changes. • Learning and teaching by doing: Hands-on involvement is encouraged at all stages, employees are trained at their site working on their own data. • A comprehensive, consistent yet easily adaptable information base, using Smallworld GIS technology from GE Network Solutions. • Customization and integration of the software and training is done by external experts (GRINTEC GmbH, Graz), thus keeping the internal project team small. Monika RANZINGER GRINTEC GesmbH - Austria [email protected] be completed – too long and too costly for internal acceptance of the project. Quick wins with real benefits were needed early on to keep the spirit up and the project running: On the outset there were a variety of application data in different data formats and we had only a partial solution for graphical display of our medium voltage network. A concept was chosen, which places emphasis on complete area coverage as opposed to detailed position accuracy. Mostly standard reference data models from Smallworld were chosen to enable a quick start of the data collection process. All existing paper maps were scanned; the high and medium voltage network was migrated from different existing data sources combining graphical and alphanumeric information in a consistent data repository. Information on MV/LVsubstations was derived from different data sources and integrated into the data model. This effort resulted in complete and correct information on the topology and all components of the medium voltage network. In the meantime also vectorisation of the low voltage network is almost completed. As a basis for georeferencing Orthophotos (Figure 1) are used, since surveying of all of the topography would have been too time-consuming and costly. Figure 1: The Information Base The best software program is useless if it lacks the necessary data, but especially for GIS data gathering can take years to EAG_Vierlinger_A1 Session 5 Paper No 43 Orthophoto with medium voltage network Additional basic information like geocoded addresses, raster maps and cadastral information was purchased from external data supplier for all of Upper Austria, where Energie AG operates. Thus we were able to build a comprehensive information base -1- CIRED 17th International Conference on Electricity Distribution during the first half year of the project, reducing the use of paper maps to practically nil. From that point data editing and data entering was done exclusively in the new system. The geometric accuracy of the data will be continuously enhanced as new projects are entered. But we can already make full use of the network information in all processes, where detailed geometric accuracy is not needed. Barcelona, 12-15 May 2003 this mobile offline solution, as a pure online operation via Internet is currently not feasible because wireless connection cannot be guaranteed throughout our service area. For some simple queries like basic data for MV/LV-substations or cable links we have also implemented access via mobile phones and WAP protocol. STREAMLINING PROCESSES Distribution of Information Thanks to this hybrid approach we could already supply area wide network information in the first year of the project. Using a browser-based intranet-solution direct access to all graphical and attributive information is possible from each PC. Currently approximately 250 users are working with the intranet solution “GIS-Web”.as shown in Figure 2. There are various entry-points, which can be located through web-addresses (URL). This makes it easy to quickly find the needed information. Alternate access-paths are provided via address, substation number, parcel number or service area. Web-addresses allow the connection to other applications like our Call-Centre Software. The Call-Centre software uses the same address keys as the GIS-Web, so that the applications can call one another. Inquiries on ownership can be made through an online interface to the official Austrian real estate database. With GIS-Web we also provide users with a variety of dynamic reports, maps and graphics including: • Maps for asset management (risks, reliability, importance of assets) • Maps for maintenance (state, deficiencies, measures to be taken) • Visualisation of current planning projects • Visualisation of planned switchings • Visualisation of fault locations Figure 2: Intranet information desk "GIS-Web" GIS-Web is also available offline on mobile workstations for users in the field. Extracts of relevant data are replicated regularly to the laptops. We plan to equip 100 employees with EAG_Vierlinger_A1 Session 5 Paper No 43 During the introduction of the GIS we reengineered several business processes and brought them into operational use. We want to describe some of the processes where we now can realize the greatest benefits from GIS-support. These are • The planning process including network simulation and analysis • asset management • maintainance • outage management The Planning Process The planning process we now use demonstrated the potential of an integrated approach. Process control is provided throughout all stages: from the provision of network data and external data like consumption data from SAP, engineering design, network calculation, cost estimation, up to surveying and mapping of the newly built network components. Currently 24 engineers are using the GIS-supported planning tool for low voltage projects. Provision of data and engineering design: The central information unit for each planning project in the GIS is the „project domain”. In a geometric sense this is the approximate outline of the area, where the planning will take place. All connection- and network components are planned and designed in the GIS and are assigned to their respective project domains. It is possible to maintain in parallel different variants of a project for comparison and decision purposes. The costs for the project are calculated using an interface to an external calculation program. Basic calculation parameters and material costs are maintained in SAP MM and accessed through a direct link to SAP-MM. Calculation results can again be retrieved and displayed in the GIS. All internal and external documents and maps concerning a planning project are attached to the project domain. Thus all relevant project information can be easily managed and displayed. By tying the work orders generated by SAP-CO to the planning project the progress of the project can be transparently followed using the GIS. Network simulation and analysis: A network simulation and analysis program has been fully integrated in the GIS to support the planning process. Various functionalities of the -2- CIRED 17th International Conference on Electricity Distribution network simulation and analysis program are also utilized to derive parameters for asset management or planning for switching. Up to now network simulation and analysis (e.g. load scaling, short circuit) for medium and low voltage was done using legacy software. Data had to be manually entered, changes in network topology and in system load had to be manually edited. In 2001 the network simulation program PSS/Adept of Power Technologies, Inc., USA was purchased and integrated into the GIS. Network calculations are now based directly on the GIS database and are started out of the GIS. The results of the network calculations can be visualized in the GIS using all the GIS functionality. This integration offers a number of benefits, e.g.: • Direct access to the electrical parameters stored in the GIS as well as to the network components and the current network topology • Direct access to consumption data (kWh or kW per customer device) via the GIS interface to SAP/IS-U • Derivation of load factors based on consumption data and measured network section load • The possibility to store and compare different variants • Display of loads or of areas where critical values are exceeded on the GIS map Specifically useful indicators for the evaluation of a project are “local quality” and “supply factor”: Assessment of „local quality“: Local quality is a measure for the technical expedience of a project. It is computed for each network branch. Computed short circuit capacity and voltage drop are related to their corresponding target values and expressed as an indicator Assessment of “supply factor”: The supply factor indicates, whether additional capacity can be connected. It takes into account the local voltage drop and the utilization of the network branches and is expressed as a number between 0 and 100. The total supply factor is computed as mean value of all local supply factors. It shows how many spare connection is available altogether. It is used to estimate the reduction of spare connection in the low voltage, if a certain capacity is connected at a certain point in the network. Documentation of the finished project: Each new project is levelled using tachymeters. We deploy state-of-the-art surveying equipment and notebooks specifically equipped for fieldwork. The software used is map500 from Trimble Navigation ltd. All relevant project data is exported from the GIS to map500 via a specifically adapted interface. Thus all necessary information is available in the field and complete GIS objects including geometry and attributive data are generated directly on-site. Afterwards the updated and new information is brought back into the GIS where final quality control is performed. This approach guarantees complete dataflow through all stages of the process, no manual re-entering or reformatting of data is necessary. EAG_Vierlinger_A1 Session 5 Paper No 43 Barcelona, 12-15 May 2003 Finally all project information is digitally archived in a uniform way and thus readily available for eventual further inquiries. One of the challenges was to requalify 40 technicians from using tape measure to apply the new digital techniques. This was accomplished in no more than four months using inhouse-trainings and on-the-job tutoring. Asset Management Cost reductions required by the national regulator may negatively impact the quality and security of the network. On the other hand customers demand a certain level of quality for which they are willing to pay. Neither a quality that is too high nor a quality that is too low is in the interest of our customers. Risk oriented asset management is an instrument to develop strategies for maintenance and re-investment while considering acceptable levels of risk and budget optimisation. We developed special algorithms and calculations that give results on which decisions for asset management can be based. We chose to implement the calculations in the GIS, because the information already present there (technical data on assets, network topology and maintenance measures) forms a solid basis for such considerations. By integrating other systems e.g. the commercial part in SAP additional information like customer-specific importance or the costs of each network component are also taken into account. Results of these calculations are tables and maps showing the risk, reliability and importance (Figure 3) associated with each asset and offer a basis to determine the network sections with the highest optimisation potential. Figure 3: Map showing level of importance of overhead lines -3- CIRED 17th International Conference on Electricity Distribution Barcelona, 12-15 May 2003 notify customers are generated. Maintenance Data gathering of the state of assets should be complete and precise to act as a basis for an institutionalized risk management in asset management. The asset manager is assisted by iNspection, a module specifically developed to meet the new challenges in this area. It combines and visualizes different decision criteria like state and age of network components, importance of conductor for customer supply, inspection intervals, planned building areas or special geographic conditions of the line. In cases of interruption of power supply the GIS helps us to find possible fault locations and gives us alternatives for measures to be taken. A history of all faults and their locations is kept in the GIS. This documentation gives us valuable indicators on the reliability of assets and acts as a basis for improvements in asset management and maintenance. On this basis we can also compute Customer Minutes Out at MV/LV-substation level. See the next Figure 5. low high Figure 4: Automated information flow in iNspection A central part of iNspection is a mobile, palmtop-based solution for on-site data entry of the state of poles or substations. Data for the assets to be inspected are replicated from the central database to the palmtop device. Information about state of the poles and necessary measures to be taken are entered on the palmtop in the field. An integrated GPSmodule can be used to simultaneously register the location of poles. This is used for all poles that have not yet been geocoded in the GIS. Data is then replicated back to the asset database. The results of the field inspections are again visualized in the GIS (Figure 4), allowing easy pinpointing of critical areas and joint analysis together with other activities like e.g. planned extensions. Outage Management Integration of the GIS in the outage management process includes support for planned switching as well as for trouble ticketing and visualization of fault location. Planned switchings in the medium voltage network are planned in the GIS using special network tracking algorithms. Information on planned switchings is available company wide in GIS-Web and allows us to coordinate switching and minimize outage time. The GIS identifies all affected customer connections. The information is then passed to SAP-ISU where the letters to EAG_Vierlinger_A1 Session 5 Paper No 43 Figure 5: Total outage time at MV/LV-substation level Sources for the GIS-Project's Success Consultants at ATKearney have recently confirmed the technical as well as financial success of the project. Why is it that EnergieAG did succeed, while a lot of GIS-projects have failed? Several factors contributed to this success: • Before starting the project we did a thorough process analysis to identify how GIS can contribute to support business processes. From this analysis we knew which areas GIS shouldd cover and the desired outcome at business level. The analysis acted as a basis for a very focussed request for proposals and for the financial, organisatorial and time frame for the 5-year project. • Employees from all departments of the organisation as well as external consultants were involved in the analysis and contributed their specific knowledge and their ideas for improvements. Thus a positive attitude towards change was present at all levels of the organisation. • From the beginning the project team concentrated on areas where we could quickly show benefits to our business. Thus other employees realized that this was a promising project and wanted to be part of it. • Internal competition was encouraged: Early success of some groups prompted others to try to do even better, -4- CIRED 17th International Conference on Electricity Distribution Barcelona, 12-15 May 2003 this again resulted in new ideas and improvements of processes. CONCLUSIONS So as always the decisive factor are the people - the project succeeded thanks to the initiative of the project team and the active involvement of all employees and their willingness to constantly learn and improve. Our efforts in the future will also be focussed on utilizing the GIS to reduce costs, improve network reliability and plan strategically – in an ever-changing organisation solutions have to be currently adapted and enhanced. EAG_Vierlinger_A1 Session 5 Paper No 43 -5-